National Space Centre The Midlands & The Marches

Although British space missions usually launch from French Guiana or Kazakhstan, Leicester's space museum is a fascinating introduction to the mysteries of the spheres. The ill-fated 2003 Beagle 2 mission to Mars was controlled from here. Fun, kid-friendly displays cover everything from astronomy to the status of current space missions. It's 1.5 miles north of the city centre. Take bus 54 or 54A (£1.60, 15 minutes, every 10 minutes Monday to Saturday, every 20 minutes Sunday) from Haymarket bus station.